The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-10-08

of fate in the shape of dear old father
or mother, or invalid relative, held them
to the cabin of their birth. 81 know 1
could get my living in America" said
one, pathetically, "but it would break
mothers heart, and che is over eighty,
and so L must try to be patient. But,
! I'm not always" she added with fash
in her black eye, for this was one of my
black haired Beauties" I'm not always,
for do hate this way of living" know
she could get her living. She would be
priceless treasure in many an American
home, with her dainty needlework, her
knowledge Of dairy duties and her thrifty
habits. Only some widower with half a
dozen children would be sure to fall in
love with her and marry her, and her new
mistress be left desolatel "Why have
you never married? said / in a moment
of confidence. Because marriage here
meant to live always on a mud floor, and
well, may have to live here always,
but | work away, hoping l may go to
America by-snd-by and live decently."
She brushed away the tears that threat
ened to fall on the fine linen wristband
she was stitching and went on with her
weary work, to earn sevenpence ha'-
penny day.
But the days of my sojourn in beauti-
ful Ireland began to grow few in number;
and longer grew my walks on the moor
land and bigger the punches of heather
brought back. And just at the end
came quite new experience. Very soon
after my arrival, the people began to coax
my old Glasgow parishioner, to get the
American lady to give them few words
on her new doctrine. MIR. Mex. coaxed,
and resisted 81 came to rest" said,
"and must rest; and then there WAS no
place for a meeting" Finally, though,
[ yielded to the persuasions of my host
and parishioner and consented to give
the neighbors a few words in "Billy's
Kitchen" that was Mr.. Ne. But at the
close Of the week L learned, to my sur
prise that one Of the neighbors, one con-
siderably better off than some, had offered
to clear out his barn for the meeting, and
two others had seated it, put up pulpit
and the women we're going to dress it, the
pulpit, with flowers. Well, 1 had preached
in many queer places in the course OF my
evangelical wanderings, and l thought l
could stand even an Irish barn! But
soon began to realize that "a few words"
would never meet their anticipations, for
it was not only curiosity to hear the new
doctrine, but curiosity to hear lady
speak. SO I tr. ed to remember and note
down a sermon prepared especially for a
new people, and was just in the midst of
it, at half past four Sunday afternoon,
when they came to me and said the peO-
pie we're going in crowds. l had expect
ed only twenty or thirty, as the neighbour
hood was sparsely settled. As walked
up the road to the loaming that led to the
barn, did an ample amount of thinking
can assure you, for now began to feel
really that L was an Ambassador of Uni
versalism and my statements must be
full and we'll illustrated.
The barn was packed when / reached
it, literally packed, there being by actual
count 100 crowded into it, and as many
more about the two narrow doors that
we're opposite each other,-an Irish barn
being quite different from an American
barn. Well, climbed up the steep, mar
row mud road or inclined plane that led
| to one door and wedged my way to the
pulpit, which fortunately stood near the
other door, The barn was clean, but ali
me! you may clean it and clean it-a
barn-the scent of the beasts will hang
in it still! And at first turned fairly
sick But somehow between the breath
of the rosebuds on my bosom and the
flowers on the pulpit, and the strong cur
rent of air that rushed through the doors
I survived, and preached a full hour to
the most attentive audience l ever had.
O; course they sang tirst-the one hun
dredth psalm-sung it till it almost
seemed as il the roof would be lifted; and
L followed with suitable selections from
the Bible, and prayer; and we closed with
the twenty third psalm.
Ibid try my very best to make my state
ments plain and to clinch them with Scrip
ture and to illustrate them with facts and
incidents that would touch the warm Irish
heart, for l did not know how far and wide
might spread the little trees was that
day plant .ng, and l want I'd tree in
whose branches sweet birds should sing
all day long. And to my JOY the doctrine
seemed to be exactly what the people
we're wanting to hear. Not dissenting
voice reached me afterward, as l stood
in the crowd outside, shaking hands all
round, nor afterwsrd when as many as
could gathered about me in "Billy'e
kitchen" Very different from my expe-
riences on this side of the channel. Here
when 1 preach such a sermon, am sure
to be confronted with Judas, as / step
from the pulpit, or have the bottomless
pit yawn before me, or the second death
turn on me it's white, cold, ghostly fig
urel But these warm-heartsd Irish peo-
pie just cried over the sermon and said
"O,why didn't you keep on,we could have